Archive for the ‘Flu in IL prisons’ Category

Cook County Jail Inmates on the Inside Starting to Agitate. What Will Happen in IL Prisons?

Posted: April 16, 2020 by parchangelo in Cook county jail, coronavirus, Early Release, Flu in IL prisons, IDOC, IL, IL Dept of Corrections and Coronavirus, IL prison safety, Illinois county jails and coronavirus, illinois inmates and coronavirus, Illinois prisons and Coronavirus, prisons
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As one Public Defender says in the article below, things have to be pretty bad
inside the County County Jail for inmates to rally together. Supporters have 
demonstrated outside the and the jail is under some court scrutiny but a lot 
more has to happen to cause the Federal court to order more jail releases.

The recent inmate attack at the jail highlights some flaws and lack of security
showing how even the jail guards in the maximum security unit are physically
vulnerable and short-staffed. That situation cannot safely continue during this
Covid-19 emergency.
Cook County Jail inmates begin refusing food over COVID-19, sheriff forwards their petition for better treatment to judge

“…inmates on three tiers in Division 11, and one tier in Division 10, have intermittently refused their food trays for a couple of days at a time in recent weeks, a statement from the sheriff’s office confirmed.

But it would be “reckless and inaccurate” to describe that as a hunger strike, sheriff’s officials said, noting that the detainees were eating food from the commissary instead and jail procedures define “hunger strike” as abstaining from food altogether.

Still, the sheriff’s officials confirmed they have forwarded a petition from the inmates, who requested their demands be reviewed by a judge.

Among their demands: release on bond, increased access to calls with family, cleaner conditions and a reopening of the courthouse so their cases could be heard more quickly. Thurman said he realizes the chances are slim that a murder defendant gets released on bond pending trial, so they were sure to make additional requests.

“(Refusing food) was based on trying to get us something, because of the fact they said we are violent criminals and cannot leave Cook County,” he said.

The jail has become a hot spot for the virus and a hot spot of controversy. Authorities have scrambled to release detainees in recent weeks in the hope of stemming the disease’s spread, with a focus on those facing nonviolent charges…”

Cook County Jail Attack Shows why Jails Aren’t Safe During Covid-19

Posted: April 15, 2020 by parchangelo in Cook county jail, coronavirus, Early Release, Flu in IL prisons, IL Dept of Corrections and Coronavirus, IL prison safety, Illinois county jails and coronavirus, illinois inmates and coronavirus, Illinois prisons and Coronavirus, prisons, Winnebago County Jail
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While Covid-19 strikes jails and prisons, there is NO way authorities will be able to maintain sufficient staffing over time. Vulnerabilities and incidents such as this will continue as long as the jail keeps holding on to everyone instead of letting the non-violent out so there is enough staffing to keep violent inmates in order.

Had this pod been single-celled too, there could have been less injury.This shows both jail understaffing and poor logistical planning. Why was there only ONE guard on the catwalk and seemingly in the max pod at the start of the incident, and why was there no water in the cell to begin with given the guard is passing out food? Usually max pods have two officers to let inmates in and out of their cells. The officer’s physical position by the open door is innately vulnerable given the layout of the catwalk in relation to its staircase. The guard’s actions and movements before the attack are far too sloppy and unguarded. They left him vulnerable to attack not only by the inmate but the other door he unlocks while the inmate is freely moving around downstairs and unmonitored. With 2 officers it would not have involved soap because water should have been brought to the cell; not the inmate to the water.

This shows how the job of caring for inmates can render guards vulnerable and contradicts with their jobs and training to keep order. Guards aren’t used to having to do the amount of direct care and contact with inmates as they have to do with Covid-19 right now. When guards have to do something new they ordinarily don’t do and in ways they don’t normally have to do them; it wreaks havoc with the established methods in place that they already know how to follow in order to do their jobs safely.

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VIDEO: Cook County Jail inmate attacks guards, steals keys, releases other prisoners

The effect of Coronavirus upon inmates in the IL Dept. of Corrections and county jails

Posted: March 14, 2020 by parchangelo in Cook county jail, Flu in IL prisons, Greg Clark, IDOC, IL, IL prison safety, illinois inmates and coronavirus, Local Issues, Menard correctional center and coronavirus, prisons, Richard Wanke, rockford attorney murder, Sheriff Gary Caruana, The wrongful conviction of Richard Wanke, Winnebago County, Winnebago County Jail
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The Coronavirus will potentially devastate IL prisons; its inmates and those in county jail throughout the state. We are compiling information about the Illinois Department of Correction’s response to the virus and county jails compared to the prisons and jails in other US states as well as the Bureau of Federal Prisons. We are also compiling information offered by prison experts and advocates on behalf of inmates.

You can find this information on our IDOC Agency IDOC Inmate Early Release Page. (<<< click on the red there)

Each day it is becoming more apparent just how inadequate the US response is to the coronavirus epidemic on both the national and local level regarding the safety of the general public. It’s further alarming and outrageous to read the news accounts and reports we’re compiling which show that Illinois’s efforts not only lag significantly behind those of most states but particularly so regarding the health and welfare of Illinois state and county inmates. Illinois county and state facilities have made little preparation for this epidemic compared to other states.

As of this date, at least 4 IDOC facilities have been locked down on medical quarantine for almost a week due to unknown illness. That includes at least 50 inmates at the Menard Correctional Center who suffer from “flu-like” symptoms, 60 inmates at Southwestern IL Correctional, and an unknown number at Robinson Correctional. Cook County Jail is also the first Illinois jail to report that Coronavirus testing is available for its inmates.

Despite the illness and numbers, the Illinois Department of Corrections publicly admits that it is not testing any inmates for Coronavirus. Nor has it said whether it intends to ever do so.

How Bad is the Flu in Illinois Prisons?

Posted: January 20, 2013 by lactoselazy in Flu in IL prisons, IDOC, the Responsiblility of the Media
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated on January 7, 2013, that the current flue epidemic in IL is one of the worst in the nation:

Illinois flu outbreak is one of worst in the U.S.

The Illinois Department of Corrections is claiming that despite the present severe overcrowding in IL prisons that “…it has seen few flu cases among prison inmates and employees…” Yet, at the same time, it is encouraging visitors with flu symptoms to stay home and reschedule visits…

Flu Outbreak Not Affecting Prisons

Forgive us for being skeptical. Just about two weeks ago, at least 140  inmates at the Stateville Correctional Center came down with Norovirus infections which began on Christmas :

Norovirus Outbreak Hits Illinois Prison

Stateville Prison Laid Low by Flu-Like Virus

Some inmates were quarantined, and others reported moved to Sheridan. With the current prison overcrowding, it seems unlikely that IDOC inmates are not catching the flu. With media being limited in access to IL prisons, the public has to rely upon the IL Department of Public Health to confirm or deny IDOC’s report of well-being. IDOC is required to report all suspected flu cases to IDPA. IDPA publishes a weekly Influenza Survey Report. It’s flu survey report for the week ending January 12, 2013, cites the occurrence of  32 institutional flu outbreaks; almost a doubling of the 18 institutional flu outbreaks it reported for the week previous. Institutions are described by IDPA as consisting of “nursing home, hospital, prison, school, etc.”

We are getting reports of widespread inmate flu illness at Stateville CC, without preventative flu shots. Hopefully the media will contact the IL Department of Public Health or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to factually confirm what IDOC says, and the public does not later find out that the flu among inmates is widespread and not being prevented.